SU Track fights against injuries

HOUSTON — The Southern University men and women’s track and field teams returned to the University of Houston for the second meet this season to compete, but more importantly to redeem themselves.
“We made great improvements because we ran against most of the same teams with better performance times and techniques,” said Johnny Thomas, head track and field coach.  
The Jaguars returned to Houston with a new attitude. The men dropped their finish to third place and doubled the score to 71 points.  The Lady Jaguars score did not change, however their performance total improved in many areas.
Starting the show for the ladies was junior Erica Lattin in the 60-meter dash placing seventh clocking in at 25.68 seconds.  Junior Francella Williams continues to show up for the team in the 60-meter hurdles placing sixth with the time of 8.98.  The women 4×400 relay team dropped their time and placed eighth with the time of 3 minutes 58.76 seconds.  In addition, freshman Theodoris Thyssen improved in the high jump with a jump of 5-01 meters.  Junior Silvers Fultz scored for the ladies the in the shot put with a mark of 13.02 meters.
“In the area of the men, we had great improvements in our sprinters and the quarter milers look very good,” said Thomas.
The men have many injuries, but they have found weapons among the team that have been very effective. 
Sophomore Ezra Landry is one of those individuals. He placed third in 60-meter dash with the time of 6.86.  Senior Jamie McLendon was in rare form placing third in the 200- meter dash clocking in at 22.44. McLendon also finished the meet by placing first in the 60-meter hurdles and provisionally qualifying him for NCAA National Championship with the time of 7.87.
“When I came out I was just trying to get better for football, but with this meet I was able to help the team out and earn some points,” said Landry.
Junior Leon Stewart continues to do well in the 400-meter dash placing second with the time of 49.82.  Junior Charles Moon placed sixth in the 300-meter run with time of 9:03.70.  The men’s relay teams did well. The 4×400 A-team placed third with time of 3:20.06 and the distance medley team placed fourth clocking in at 10:41.32.  Freshman Henry Frazier placed second in the long jump with 7.18 meter mark and in the triple jump senior Jeremy Pierre placed second with a time of 14.87 meter mark.  In the field, junior Arnold Sims placed third in shot put with 14.22-meter mark.
The Jaguars’ next meet will be in Bethesda, Maryland at the Black College Championships on February 8-9.